CHAPTER SEVENTY–NINE–Will They Make It Through?
After Ryan left, Laura found herself staring at her computer screen, her mind wandering back to Justin. On an impulse, she opened a new tab and typed his name into the search bar.
To her surprise, Justin’s online presence was minimal. His LinkedIn profile was bare–bones, and his Facebook page seemed to have been created only a few months ago. For someone working in tech, it was oddly sparse.
Laura leaned back in her chair, chewing her lip thoughtfully. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Jessie entering the room until her roommate spoke.
“Earth to Laura,” Jessie said, waving a hand in front of Laura’s face. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Laura blinked, focusing on her friend. “Sorry, just… thinking ”
Jessie peered at the computer screen. “Cyberstalking the boyfriend, huh? That’s never a good sign.”
“I’m not cyberstalking,” Laura protested weakly. “I just… don’t you think it’s weird that he has barely any social media presence?”
Jessie shrugged. “Maybe he’s just private. Or maybe he’s secretly a spy. Ooh, or a time traveler!”
Despite herself, Laura cracked a smile. “Be serious, Jess.”
“I am being serious. About the private part, anyway,” Jessie said, her tone softening. “Laura, honey, are you sure you’re not overreacting a bit? Justin seems like a great guy. Don’t let your past experiences make you paranoid.”
Laura sighed, closing the browser window “You’re probably right. I’m just being silly.”
But as she stared at her now–blank screen, Laura couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. The image of Justin with the mystery woman flashed through her mind, along with all the other little inconsistencies she’d noticed lately.
What was she missing?
Laura McKenna pushed through the revolving doors of Sivarra Tech, her mind still swirling with questions about Justin. The lobby bustled with the usual morning activity, but she barely noticed as she made her way to the elevator.
As the doors slid shut, she caught her reflection in the polished metal. Dark circles under her eyes betrayed her restless night. She’d tossed and turned, replaying every interaction with Justin, searching for clues she might have missed
The elevator dinged, and Laura stepped out onto her floor. She nodded absently to a few coworkers as she made her way to her desk, her thoughts still a million miles away.
“Morning, Laura,” Ryan called out as she passed his workspace. “You okay? You look a bit… distracted.”
Ja
Laura managed a weak smile. “Yeah, just didn’t sleep well. Nothing coffee can’t fix.”
She settled into her chair, booting up her computer and trying to focus on the day ahead. But as she scrolled through her emails, her mind kept drifting back to Justin and the woman she’d seen him with.
Laura was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice Kira Volkov approaching until the woman was standing right in front of her desk, practically vibrating with anger.
“You conniving little bitch,” Kira hissed, her voice low but filled with venom.
Laura’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in shock. “Excuse me?”
Kira slammed her hands down on Laura’s desk, causing several nearby coworkers to turn and stare. “Don’t play dumb with me, McKenna. I know what you’ve been doing.”
Laura pushed her chair back, standing to face Kira. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kira. What’s going on?”
Kira’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “Oh, please. You think I wouldn’t notice? You’ve been sabotaging my work for weeks, haven’t you? Stealing my ideas and passing them off as your own?
The accusation hit Laura like a slap in the face. “What? That’s ridiculous! I would never do something like that!”
By now, a small crowd had gathered around them, whispering and watching the confrontation unfold.
Kira let out a harsh laugh. “Oh, come on. It’s so obvious. How else could you have made such sudden progress on your project? You’ve been struggling for months, and then suddenly you have all these breakthroughs? Please.”
Laura felt her lace flush with anger and embarrassment. “Those breakthroughs were the result of hard work and long hours, Kira. Just because you can’t handle someone else succeeding doesn’t mean I cheated.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE–W They Make It Through?
“Oh, that’s rich,” Kira sneered. “You expect me to believe that you, of all people, suddenly became a coding genius overnight? Please. I’ve seen your work. It’s mediocre at best.”
Laura’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Just because we have different approaches doesn’t mean one is better than the other. And it certainly doesn’t give you the right to accuse me of theft!”
Kira took a step closer, her voice dripping with disdain. “Different approaches? Is that what you’re calling it now? I suppose it’s a different approach to sneak into my files and copy my algorithms?”
“I have never touched your files, Kira,” Laura shot back, her voice rising. “Unlike some people, I have integrity. I don’t need to steal to succeed.”
Kira’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Are you implying something, McKenna?”
Laura stood her ground. “I’m not implying anything. I’m stating a fact. I’ve worked hard for everything I’ve achieved here. If you’re having issues with your project, maybe you should look at your own work instead of trying to tear others down.”
A collective gasp went through the onlookers. Kira’s face contorted with rage. “You little-”
“Enough!” Bo Chen’s authoritative voice cut through the tension. He pushed through the crowd, his expression stern. “Both of you, in my office. Now.“!
As Laura and Kira followed Bo, the whispers of their coworkers buzzed in their wake. Laura could feel her heart pounding, a mix of anger and anxiety coursing through her veins.
Once inside Bo’s office, he closed the door and turned to face them, his usually calm demeanor replaced by barely contained frustration.
